Amusement device



oct. 29, 1935. H. B. STONER 2,018,978

AMUSEMENT DEVICE lFiled Nov. 16, 19:55

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Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE Application November 16, 1933, Serial No. 698,246

Claims.

This invention relates to an amusement device of the type in which a series of balls are caused to individually travel over a playing surface and eventually find their way into some recess upon the surface, the result of the game being determined in each instance by the sum of the indicia corresponding with the recesses occupied by balls.

In the past, many and various amusement devices or games of this character have been developed, but in each instance of which I am aware, these formerly known devices did not meet the full desires of a player in that each of the balls must of necessity travel substantially the same path as the previous ball did, and consequently the results of the game were dependent to a major extent upon luck or accident rather than upon the skill of a player. In addition, while some of these various devices had figurative divisions in the playing field, a player could not positively select a particular division as that which the bau would initiauy enter.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of this invention to provide an amusement device in the nature of a game board whereupon a ball may be impelled over a playing surface divided into a plurality of zones, and the player can, by exercising reasonable skill, determine which zone the ball shall initially enter.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an amusement device of the character described, wherein a playing surface is substantially divided into a plurality of playing zones by suitable guide means upstanding from the playing surface.

Another object of this invention is to provide an amusement device wherein a ball is impelled over a playing surface, having a plurality of playing zones with means provided for directing the ball initially into a predetermined one of said zones.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a game board in which a ball is caused to travel over a playing surface divided into a plurality of zones, the speed of the ball determining which zone it shall initially enter.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a game board of the character described equipped with guiding means providing a plurality of paths for a ball, and the amount of impetus initially given the ball determining which of said paths will be followed by the ball.

One of the major objects of this invention is to provide an amusement device wherein a ball is caused to travel over a playing surface, and with which device a player may readily elect not only the direction of travel of the ball but also a particular region of the playing surface in which the ball will begin its scoring activities.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of a device embodying this invention have been above pointed out, 5 others will become apparent from the following disclosures.

The invention includes these and other features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter described and shown in a preferred lo form on the drawing, as more particularly indicated by the claims.

On the drawing:

Figure l is a plan view of an amusement device embodying principles of the present invention, illustrating the activity of a ball on the device.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially as indicated by the line II-II of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is also an enlarged fragmentary Sec- 20 tional View taken substantially as indicated by the line III-III of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially as yindicated by the line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

As shown on the drawing:

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, there is shown a game board 5 having a sunken ball race 6 merging into a boundary 'l dening a playing surface or field 8. The ball 30 race 6 and playing surface 8 are preferably upon the same level below that of the outer part of the board 5 so that the boundary I is raised or upstanding from the playing surface and maintains a ball upon this surface until the same is removed 35 as explained hereinafter.

The playing field 8 is substantially divided into a plurality of playing zones, in this instance three-A, B and C, by suitable guiding means 0 upstanding from the playing surface. These guiding means are preferably of the same construction and, as seen in the drawing, comprise rails 9, I0 and II curved in the proper manner to form the zones A, B and C and each supported 5 from the playing surface by suitable posts I2 at spaced intervals or in any other desirable manner. The rails 9, Ill and II are so disposed that, while they substantially divide the board into zones, nevertheless a ball passage is provided between adjacent zones, namely passage I 3 between 5o the zones A and B, and passage I4 between zones B and C. i

The playing surface 8 is preferably the top of a nonwarping board I5, and is provided in each u Vof the zones A, B and C with a plurality of apertures I6, each of a size to accommodate one or more balls as may be desired. Disposed beneath the board I5 is a second board I'I which is slidable relatively to the board I5 and in conjunction .with the various apertures I6 forms recesses into which balls will lodge. The board Il may be provided with apertures normally spaced away from the apertures I6, so that after a certain number of balls has been used, the board I 'I may be moved until all of the apertures coincide, thereby dropping the balls into a suitable receptacle in a well-known manner. If desired, of course, the board II may be stationary and the balls lifted out of the respective recesses by hand.

Any suitable indicia may be applied to the playing surface adjacent the apertures I6, and the sum of these indicia adjacent apertures occupied by a ball denotes the score of a particular player.

Upstanding pins I8, preferably of semi-resilient nature, are disposed at eccentric intervals adjacent the apertures I6. These pins are substantially the same height as the rails 9, I and II, and, by causing the ball to change direction, render the game more tantalizing and interest- One of the major features of the present invention is a cam-like switch or guiding means I9 30 disposed adjacent the passage I3 between the zones A and B, and providing a dual path for a ball. This guiding means I9 is preferably of one piece, and may be wood or other equivalent material or a metal casting. It not only tapers laterally but also vertically, both tapers converging into a point which merges evenly with the boundary 'I where this boundary terminates at the point 20 adjacent zone A. This member I9 is substantially L-shaped in cross-section and the vertical and lateral tapers occur only in the horizontal leg of the L. The vertical taper provides a straight edge 2l (Figures 2 and 3) to serve as a means for guiding a ball into zone A, and this edge Vis curved to form substantially a continuation of the curvature of the boundary 1 around the zone A. As seen more clearly in Figure 3, the lower portion of the member I9 is formed to gradually provide a groove 22 to guide a ball against the inside of rail I0 and consequently into zone B. A raised portion 23 separates the groove 22 from the inner guiding edge 2I. As mentioned above, at the point 2U, the lateral and vertical tapers of the members I9 disappear into a single point, the thickness of the member I9 55 7 at this point being substantially the same as the boundary 'I.

Near the top of the board, on the right end thereof as seen in Figure 1, another cam-like switch or guiding member 24 is provided. This member also defines a dual path for a ball. One path is along the inside edge 25 of the member, and the other path is adjacent the boundary 'I directly over the thinnest portion of the member. As seen more clearly in Figure 4, the inner curved end of the member 24 is substantially thick and will not permit the passage of a ball thereover. However, themember tapers gradually toward the boundary I until immediately adjacentthis boundary, the member is extremely thin. Also, as seen more clearly in Figure 4, the portion of the member next to the boundary is not flat but convex as at 26 so that a ball travel-Y ingv over the member will retain its position against the boundary 1. The member 24 in effect merges into the boundary I at the point 21 so that there is no abrupt change of direction of the ball while guided by either this member or the boundary. The inner curved end of the member 24 preferably hooks around an end of the rail II in spaced relationship thereto to thus guide a ball following the edge 25 into the zone C.

In operating the present invention, the device is mounted with one end higher than the other so that the board slopes toward the player and a ball tends to roll by gravity toward an enlarged opening 28 adjacent the bottom of the playing eld, the opening 28 usually counting nothing in the score. A ball 29 is given an impulse in the lower end of the race 6, either by hand or any well-known mechanical means. The ball will follow the boundary l, and will be held against this boundary by centrifugal force at the upper curved portion of the boundary (to the right as seen in Figure l). When the ball reaches the point 21, if traveling at a relatively low speed, .o it will followthe inside edge of the guide or switch member 24 and thus enter zone C. The ball may or may not bound against pins I8, and may or may not come to rest in one of the apertures I6 in this Zone. If the ball does not come g5 to rest in this Zone, in most instances it will strike the outer edge of the rail I9, pass through the passage I4, and follow the inner edge of the rail ll through the passage i3 and into zone A. If

the ball does not come to rest in one of the aper- 30 i tures I5 inl Zone A, it must by gravity eventually come to rest in the no-score aperture 28.

If, however, the ball 29, as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1, has sufcient speed when it reaches the point 21 it will hug the boundary 35 I and ride over the thin portion of the member 24. The ball will then follow the boundary I until it reaches the point 29 adjacent zone A. Upon reaching the point 2li, the speed of the ball again determines its direction with the aid 0H of the switch or guide member I9. If the speed of the ball is not suiiicient to cause Vthe ball to rmly hug the wall at this point, the ball follows the inner edge 2l of the guide member I9 as indicated by the full line and continues around 5- the inner edge of the rail I2 until it strikes any suitable form of resilient abutment 30, whereupon it rebounds and finds its own course among the pins I8 and apertures I5 in zone A.

If, however, the ball has sufficient speed to :soVy

hug the wall of the member I9 when it reaches the point 20, it will follow through the groove 22 and be discharged against the inside edge of the rail I Il whereupon it will do either of two things: namely, follow lthe inner edge of the rail I0 clear around until it strikes rail I I and is thus caused to again enter zone A, or, due Vto its lack of speed, lter its way among the pins I8 Vand apertures IB of zone B and if it does not come to rest there, enters zone A through the passage I3.

the apertures I6 in zone B but will hug the rail 70:

I0 and subsequently start its scoring activities in zone A.

It is apparent, therefore, that I have provided an amusement device wherein a ball is caused to travel over a playing surface and whereby a Il" player, with the exercise of reasonable skill, may select a particular part of the playing surface for the ball to begin its scoring activities. Consequently, a player can select apertures I6 bearing the higher indicia and so direct successive balls into regions that will best enhance a good score. It is at once obvious that a good score is not contingent upon luck or accident but depends, to a very material degree, upon the skill of the respective player. Furthermore, the entire device is simple in construction, the parts very durable, and the device may be economically manufactured.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an amusement device of the character described, a playing surface, a. ball race leading to said playing surface, a raised boundary continuing from said ball race and dening said playing surface, means dividing said playing surface into a plurality of playing zones, and guiding means adjacent said boundary and tapering towards said boundary, whereby the speed of a ball following said boundary determines if the ball follows said guiding means or passes thereover and thus which zone the ball initially enters.

2. In an amusement device of the character described, a playing surface, a ball race leading to said surface,- means dividing said surface into a plurality of playing zones, and a plurality of cam-like switch means in the path of a ball, each of said switch means arranged to alter the direction of travel of a ball or permit a ball to pass by depending upon the speed of the ball.

3. In an amusement device of the character described, a playing surface, a ball race leading to said surface, means dividing said surface into a plurality of playing Zones, fixed means shaped to provide a plurality of paths for a ball, said last-mentioned means being located in such relation to said zones that the speed of a ball de'- termines which path is followed and consequently which playing zone a ball initially enters.

4. In an amusement device of the character described, a plurality of playing zones, a boundary around said zones, a ball race merging with said boundary, and a fixed cam-like guiding member adjacent said boundary shaped to direct the ball into any one of a plurality of said Zones depending upon the speed of the ball.

5. In an amusement device of the character described, a plurality of playing zones, a ball race leading towards said zones, and a fixed guide member in the path of a ball from said race, said guide member being shaped to define a plurality 5 of paths for the ball to follow, each path leading to a different zone, the speed of the ball determining which path is followed.

6. In an amusement device of the character described, a playing surface, a raised boundary l0 around said playing surface, a ball race disposed so that a ball from saidlrace will tend to follow said boundary, and a fixed guiding member adjacent said boundary inthe path of a ball following said boundary shaped to provide a plu- 15 rality of paths for the ball in such relationship that the speed of the ball determines the path followed.

7. In an amusement device of the character described, a playing surface, a raised boundary 20 therearound, a ball race disposed so that a ball therefrom will tend to follow said boundary, and a fixed guide member adjacent said boundary in the path of said ball capable of directing said ball to any of a plurality of regions of said play- 25 ing surface.

8. In an amusement device of the character described, a playing surface, a ball race leading to said surface, an upstanding boundary defining said playing surface, curved guide means up- 30 standing from said surface substantially dividing said surface into a plurality of playing zones, said means being so disposed as to provide a ball passage from one zone to another, and other guide means disposed in the original path of a 35 ball and capable of directing the ball initially into any of said zones.

9. In an amusement device, a playing surface,

a ball race leading to said playing surface, and

a switch member disposed in the path of a ball 0 from said race and shaped to alter the direction of travel of the ball or permit the ball to pass over the switch member depending upon the speed of the ball.

l0. In an amusement device of the character "5 described, a playing surface, a ball race leading to said playing surface, and a switch member disposed in the path of a ball from said race, said switch member being positioned so as to be struck by balls from said race at substantially the same point regardless of the speed of the balls and shaped to change the direction of travel of a ball or permit the ball to pass thereby depending upon the speed ofthe ball.

HARRY B. STONER. u 

